Realtor Roofing Tips

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Experienced realtor Sharon Sigman knows which products add value to a home and make it more sellable in the future. So, when it came time to have the roof replaced on her own home, Sigman did her research and ordered a Bellaforté Shake roof from DaVinci Roofscapes®.

“The wood shake shingles on my home were damaged from hail storms and years of exposure to the sun,” says Sigman, owner of West USA Realty. “About two years ago I saw a neighbor had installed the polymer shakes from DaVinci and that started me thinking about the value these roofing tiles could have on my own home.”

Sigman, whose real estate agency employs 20 people, found that the impact- and fire-resistant roofing tiles from DaVinci were backed by a 50-year limited warranty. Her insurance company liked those qualities and offered to give her a rate break if she installed the reliable roofing product.

“People constantly ask me what type of roof I have on my house,” says Sigman, a resident of Prairie Village, Kansas. “The authentic look of the polymer shake and the Abruzzo blend coloring are just amazing. People really do a double take when I tell them it’s not a real wood roof.

“On a personal note, I was really tired of the problems with my real cedar roofing. I had squirrels burrowing under the shingles and an abundance of silverfish on my roof. These problems have all gone away now that I have a polymer roof.”

Selling the Warranty

A successful real estate agent in the Overland Park, Kansas marketplace for 28 years, Sigman has a deep understanding of what types of exterior products help “sell” a home that’s on the market.

“In our area, any product that resists hail and requires minimal maintenance is an instant winner,” says Sigman. “Homes with fiber cement siding from James Hardie® or DaVinci roofing are much easier to sell because of the value they bring to a house. These are durable products that add to the curb appeal of a home while being strong players in helping keep the home protected.”

Sigman relates that one recent home featuring a DaVinci roof sold faster than other homes in her area. “I marketed this home as having a roof with a 50-year limited warranty and that made a huge impression on the buyers,” says Sigman. “In many cases realtors need to educate people. Some folks have always had a composition or wood shake roof and they don’t know any different. When they learn about the many features of polymer roofs and how they can help reduce the heat levels in the home and even potentially save on insurance premiums, that really makes a positive impact on the buyer.”

The Bellaforté roof installed on Sigman’s personal home was created by DaVinci Roofscapes to have a multi-width appearance replicating hand-split real cedar shakes. The tiles feature slanted sawn edges and staggered lengths.

The product’s patented features, which include a leading edge tab and a self-aligning ledge, help reduce the installation time for the Bellaforté Shake product. A square of Bellaforté Shake (with 100 pieces per square) weighs just 190 pounds. This lower tile weight helps reduce installation time and transportation costs. Just as with other DaVinci products, the Bellaforté Shake tiles are 100 percent recyclable. The roofing tiles come in 49 colors and a selection of five color blends, including Abruzzo, Espresso, Tuscano, Verona and Harbor Gray.

DaVinci Roofscapes has manufactured award-winning synthetic slate and shake roofing since 1999. The polymer roofing tiles are virtually maintenance free and far more cost effective than the natural product. DaVinci leads the industry in tile thickness, the tile width variety and the greatest selection of subtle earth-toned colors. Company products have a 50-year limited warranty and are 100 percent recyclable. DaVinci proudly makes its products in America and is a member of the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Roofing Contractors, the Cool Roof Rating Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. For additional information call 1-800-328-4624 or visit our website.